LJ idol 04.13: "Current Events"

[anamacha]

Homelessness. Alcoholism. Drug abuse. These are some of the ills that face our society today. What if these had a common cause? What if these ills had a common cause that could be addressed and treated? What if they could be made better

Comments

[baxaphobia]

Great job! working in the field of disability has shown me how devastating a head injury can be, and the level of non acceptance in so many cases.

[anamacha]

thanks ... yeah, it's nasty, especially for the invisible disabilities like I have. You couldn't tell what I've been through, just by looking at me. But I have difficulties nonetheless.

[puppetmaker40]

I have had a number of head injuries in my time. That does not count the number of times I have broken my nose. So far I have been very luck with the outcomes. But I don't know what will happen down the road as I age and I have to say that that scares me a bit.
Thanks for the link to the article and this essay. It was very brave of you to write it.

[anamacha]

thanks, I appreciate your comment. It is who and what I am; it's time I acknowledged it and stopped suffering through denial.

It's hard enough to make it in the world, even for the non-brain injured. It's doubly hard for a brain injured person to pretend to be non injured.

Oh -- and I don't know if you've read the article I linked to, but it states that about 85% of head traumas amount to nothing -- a full recovery is made, in other words.

Anyway, I understand your fear. I really do.

[minikin]

I have a friend who fell and was diagnosed with concussion the day after Christmas. She's still having problems with blurry vision, and the doctors say it could last for another 3 to 6 months.

[anamacha]

ouch. Yeah, and she may develop other problems later on -- cognitive difficulties, emotional issues and such. The brain is a very fragile instrument.

[browneyedgirl65]

Or by one's parent. I knew a guy who was terrorized by his Vietnam vet stepfather when growing up (including being severely beaten). He has so many issues and I suspect not a few of them are due to brain injuries, the "sneaky" kind like you describe. And yet he's basically normally functional, it's just when you get to know him it becomes scary clear and you have to get out or away.

[anamacha]

that's wretched. I'm sorry to hear that. What sort of help has he sought?

[browneyedgirl65]

Unfortunately, he won't admit to most of his problems. I think he sees his OCD as having origins in that, and that he has generally asshole behavior from growing up in that, but he won't admit he's an alcoholic, and he won't admit that he really is emotionally abusive, not just an asshole. I got out of that for my own safety, atlhough I hope he eventually finds the help he needs.

[anamacha]

that's too bad. Unfortuantely we can't help those who don't want to be helped. I can be an asshole too, but at least I admit it!

[chite]

This is another really good entry!

[anamacha]

thankyew! What did you like about it?

[chite]

First and foremost, it is really well written. I spent years as an editor, and I really appreciate when I read an essay that looks like it has taken time to write and edit.

Second, it's really informative and very different. If I have to read one more article about the elections or how this country is going to the toilet, I'm going to scream. I really appreciate that it is an issue that has personal relevance to you, but that you kept it a personal essay, rather than sinking into glurge. I like that you stayed focused on the topic and didn't simply use an article, digress from the topic of the article, and write an open-topic entry.

[anamacha]

wow. Those are high compliments taht I deeply appreciate. I'm glad you thought it was informative and different; it felt to me as if I was just rehashing the article I used, and that it wasn't very different for me. I've written about my injury before, and for this competition. So.

Glurge? What's that? I'm not familiar with that bit of slang.

Thank you so much for your kind and truthful words.